Hello,
I just bought a rebuilt A4 to replace our rusting 1967 A4. I want to go over her completely, strip and repaint as it has a poor paint job, and add fresh water cooling. The photo below is an old photo of our old A4...very rusty now, but expect I'll be able to rebuild her as well. Want to get her out of the boat so I can rewire and clean up the engine room.
Millions of questions! To start with I'm trying to figure out what year our new A4 might be. Has a MM head and MM manifold and was rebuilt in 2009 and then run only 4 hours.
Has a sheet metal flywheel cover, oil fill forward, has the little snap open oil fill box just forward of the water pump, has the big Delco distributor with points.

I like the cast iron cover so much better, as well as my old style starter. Could I swap over both....maybe need to swap flywheel as well? I'm out of my depth here, don't know if that is possible or a bad idea.

I put electronic ignition on my old, small Prestolite dist. Can I swap that over to the new A4 as well and replace the Delco?

Any reason not to make these changes (if I can)? Is the bigger style starter better?

You've got a real "cobble job". New style head, early gearcase cover, late distributor, early starter and (obviously) early flywheel but with late flywheel housing. Somebody went to work. Oil fill forward suggests late block. Starters and flywheels, early and late, go together. If you don't already have one I suggest you get the Moyer Marine Overhaul and Service Manual available on this site.

Thank you for your replies. Just to be clear, the photo on post #1 is of my old (now rusty) 1967 A4.
Good to know I can swap distributor.
So, if I want to use my old cast iron flywheel cover I need to also swap:
flywheel
flywheel housing
starter
....is that correct?

I think it says 052379 on the block, above the carb...does that make any sense?
I removed the blue paint (who would paint that?) from the copper lubrication instruction plate on the transmission. Almost all the info is gone, but at the bottom can still read stamped UJ 74688. Probably an older tranny?

I was posting when your reply came in. Old A4 is on the boat (Vancouver). New A4 is on an engine stand here on Bowen Island.I'll bring home the old flywheel cover later this week and compare. So, Do the two types of starters need different flywheels?

You can definitely use your old cast iron flywheel housing with the early starter and flywheel. In some cases (mine for example) I use the new (Delco) starter and flywheel with the cast (early) housing. Don Moyer has a discussion of this in The Manual.

"I removed the blue paint (who would paint that?) from the copper lubrication instruction plate on the transmission. Almost all the info is gone, but at the bottom can still read stamped UJ 74688. Probably an older tranny?"

If it is late model Marty, the serial number itself is stamped right next to the oil fill, above the flywheel cover. If your stamp date is indeed 1979, your serial number may be over 200,000...one of the later blocks.

Well, on e-bay I found a company selling new, unused Delco starters for the A4. Spoke with them on the phone, and these starters are listed as replacements for #1107679. That number matches the Delco # on Robert Hess's site.

Thanks for that Lat64,
....wasn't thinking about that aspect. I may need the Delco rubber solenoid gasket that MM sells. I'll disassemble new starter and compare to the one that came with the engine.
I have no reason to believe that the included starter is faulty (was told it was rebuilt in 2009), but couldn't pass up starting off with a fresh one....keep the old one for a spare....but too heavy to keep on the boat (even for me - I'm a maniac about spares: cruise with spare carb, coil, distributor guts, thermostat, fuel pump, Raycor filter...even my old 2 blade prop! That list doesn't include the normal tune-up stuff).

Wondering what is the best power tool for the major paint & rust removal. I have a 4.5" angle grinder, and wondering what style wire brush or whatever others have found best. Maybe a rougher and a courser? Drill attachments? I have a dremel tool for the less accessible areas, and wondering what the best attachments are for that, too. Lastly (for now!) solvents, rust removers?

I use acetone then a bench mounted wire wheel/buffer. Get something that is durable. I mean, something that doesn't shed it's bristles into your face. I tried a wire wheel on my dremel and I got pummeled with wire.

Just about to remove the oil pan. Flywheel housing, exhaust manifold are removed. Aft housing is still in place.

Part 1 is drop the pan with the engine upright (on an engine stand) to contain whatever is in there (oil is drained but I'm sure there's a bit more). Can anyone give me an idea how heavy that will be? Anything special I need to know?

Part 2 is clean up the pan, repaint.

Part 3 is turn the engine upside down to inspect and install a new gasket and old pan with new screws.

You do make a good point about metal bits falling into engine if it is upside down. But, while she is open you'll probably clean up whatever you can reach though. Straps are a good idea. Also, make sure you pull it straight off to avoid ruining the oil pump screen.